Inventory of the Brigadier General William Wallace Burns Papers, 1848-1910 (bulk: 1861-1889)

Inventor Name

Burns, William Wallace

Repository

Texas A&M;Cushing Memorial LibraryCollege Station, TX 77843-5000

Physical Description

1 linear foot.

Summary

William Wallace Burns (1825-1892) was born at 3 Sept. 1825 in Coshocton, Ohio and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1847. Posted to the United States Army Infantry, Burns served during the Mexican American War (1846-1848) on recruiting duty, then spent several years at various Indian posts in theWest and Southwest. In 1858, he was commissioned Captain in the Commissary of Subsistence. Burns served with the United States Army of the Potomac in the first months of the Civil War as General George B. McClellan's Chief Commissary in the West Virginia Campaign, and was later appointed Brigadier General of Volunteers 28 September 1861. In the Peninsular Campaign (Mar.-Aug. 1862), Burns commanded a Brigade of General John Sedwick's 2nd Divison, 2nd Corps, and, after recovering from wounds, commanded the 1st Divison, 9th Corps at the Battle of Fredericksburg (11-13 Dec. 1862). On 20 March 1863, Burns resigned his Volunteer commission and reverted to his staff rank of Major and Commissary. He served as Chief Commissary in the Department of the Northwest until the close of the Civil War. Breveted Brigadier General 13 March 1865 for gallant and meritorious services in the Civil War, William Wallace Burns retired 3 Sept. 1889 and died 19 April 1892 at Beaufort, South Carolina. Burns was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Papers consist chiefly of correspondence (1858-1888) in which Burns gives detailed accounts of Civil War battles fought during the Peninsular Campaign (Mar.-Aug. 1862), particularly the Seven Days Battles (25 June-1 July, 1862 ), including Peach Orchard, Allen's Farm, Savage Station, Glendale, Nelson's Farm, and Malvern Hill. Burns discusses military strategy, troop movements, military surgeons, weather conditions during battles, building pontoon bridges, building defense works, and and capturing Confederate works. One letter is present from the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). Correspondents include President Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, General Henry W. Halleck, General Winfield Scott Hancock, General George McClellan, General William Starke Rosecrans, and Major General Edwin Vose Sumner, as well as Emil Schalk, who was a war journalist. Topics include slavery, as well as the conduct and outcome of the war. Some correspondence (1888-1904) was written just before and after Burns' death among family members, notably his grandchildren Lloyd Burns Magruder, who was a cadet at the United States Military Academy, and Pauline Magruder, as well as William Wallace Burns' sister Mabelle Burns, usually called "Mab." A substantial group of letters to Mabelle Burns is from her suitor for marriage, B. L. Prince. A few of the family letters from Pauline Magruder to her Aunt Mabelle Burns are written in French from Paris, France. Also included are copies of military orders and official reports focused on Burns' thwarted ambitions to become Major General and lead a Division in the Army of the Cumberland under the command of General Rosecrans. A few financial records and documents from legal procedings concern disputed rights to the "Sibley Tent," an invention whose patent royalties were eventually shared by Burns with Henry Hastings Sibley are present, as are a few documents concerning Texas real estate transactions. Transcripts of correspondence (1848-1889) cover all of Series 1. Military Correspondence, with a few letters (Box/Folder 1/6/doc.a-c) from Series 2. Personal Correspondence with professional colleagues, and a few (Box/Folder 1/7/doc.a-h, and k) from Series 3. Personal Correspondence with family and friends.